The Lakers and their training staff certainly don't seem to think so. According to Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register, Howard will miss the Lakers' preseason tilt with the Utah Jazz in Anaheim on Tuesday night.
Dwight Howard (back) will not play tomorrow night in exhibition vs. Jazz in Anaheim.
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) October 15, 2012
What gives? Dwight's going to miss half the preseason and deprive Lakers fans/Disneyland residents the opportunity to watch LA's newest star in the flesh?!
Yeah. As well they should. The preseason only matters for Dwight insofar as it provides him with an opportunity to work his way back into game shape and test in live action the principles he's been running with the Lakers in practice for the last two weeks or so.
As if there won't be ample time during the 82-game regular season to sort all of that out. It's practically customary in Lakerland for the team to slog its way through the campaign before finally firing on all cylinders in time for a long playoff push.
In the meantime, there's no rush to have Dwight look anything less than snazzy in his street clothes on the sidelines this preseason while he awaits the go-ahead from the Lakers' team doctors. GM Mitch Kupchak didn't exactly bet the farm on Howard, though giving up Andrew Bynum—a home-grown talent who'd blossomed into an All-Star at center—was no small price to pay, even for the best big man on the planet.
Especially when said best big man's health is of grave concern. Let's not forget, he's coming off major back surgery in late April to treat an injury that had hi...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
